


Kitsune

by cuttothequickk



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Awkward Flirting, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Hybrids, I'm Sorry, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mild Hurt/Comfort, No Smut, Starbucks, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-24
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-07 09:30:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14077929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuttothequickk/pseuds/cuttothequickk
Summary: There's a really cute boy who works at the Starbucks near Tobio's gym.Tobio takes a second to notice the ears and the tail.He is irrevocably smitten.





	Kitsune

**Author's Note:**

> Wow so I never write AU stuff and this was HAHA so difficult but anyways I hope you enjoy~

 

 

“Grande black Americano, extra shot, no room!” The guy behind the counter sets the drink on the bar and looks around as he chirps out the order, the enthusiasm in his voice enough to make Tobio wince a little because, seriously. It’s 5:23 a.m. and the sun is not even up yet. Except maybe it is, because Tobio is reasonably sure that the guy offering him his usual Starbucks order might possibly _be_ the sun what with his orange hair and his glowing-white smile. Especially at _5:23 a.m._ God.

 

“Early morning for you?” The guy asks, grinning as Tobio takes the drink. Tobio nods and avoids eye contact, suddenly wondering how many shots of espresso this kid has had today. There’s a flick of something orange and soft-looking out of the corner of Tobio’s eye, and he’s too tired to really register it until a second later, after he’s swallowed the still-too-hot coffee with a grimace.

 

“Oh,” he says then, because the kid serving him coffee is not, strictly speaking, human.

 

The guy’s grin goes from bright to sweet, smaller but slightly more intimate for it. Tobio tells himself his heart is pounding because of the shock of the hot coffee, not because he’s getting a cute look from a cute boy.

 

Fuck. It’s too early for this.

 

“Oh?” The kid asks, tilting his head to the side a little and flicking one of his orange ears, and now that Tobio has noticed, he can’t _stop_ noticing.

 

“I—you have a tail,” Tobio says, and okay, he _knows_ how dumb he sounds, but he really cannot handle the fact that the cute boy serving him coffee at _way too early in the goddamn morning_ is also a fox.

 

Well, okay, so not _really_ a fox, but—

 

Yeah.

 

“You noticed the tail before the ears?” The kid asks, and Tobio nods, taking another sip of his coffee to ineffectually hide his blush.

 

“Sorry,” Tobio mutters, because, like, seriously. It’s rude to do everything he has done and is currently doing. God. Why is this happening.

 

“It’s fine,” the kid says. “I’m Hinata Shouyou. Who’re you?” Hinata tilts his head a bit more, his ears flicking up in this adorable little motion that sends Tobio’s heart tumbling all over again.

 

“Uh…Kageyama Tobio,” Tobio says, kind of ducking his head.

 

Hinata grins so big his eyes close. “Hello, Kageyama Tobio! Nice to meet you!”

 

Seriously, does this guy talk in exclamation points?

 

“I—uh, I have to, uh, go,” Tobio manages, because actually he does—one of the volleyball teams he coaches has a match today, which is why he’s even up this early in the first place, and Tobio _definitely_ cannot be late or the elementary school girls will be extremely sad at him. _At_ him. Like they can launch their overdramatized disappointment at him in the form of projectiles.

 

Hinata’s ears droop a little, but Tobio is sure it’s just because the kid is relaxing a little, settling back on his heels (was he standing on tiptoe? And still that _tiny?_ ) and letting his mouth revert into an easy half-smile. “Oh,” he says, “Right, probably in a hurry to get on with a busy day!”

 

When Tobio nods, Hinata perks up a little bit again.

 

“Don’t be a stranger! I’m, like, _always_ at work, so I’m sure I’ll run into you again!” Hinata rambles, smiling that soft little smile again.

 

Tobio nods, even though he normally just makes coffee at the rec center gym when he gets there. “Well. Um. Bye,” he says, waving awkwardly and turning to head out the door.

 

“Bye!” Hinata chirps from behind him.

 

Tobio doesn’t look back, he swears. Not even to see Hinata still waving at him as he gets in his car, ears all perked up and tail swaying gently behind him.

 

Okay. Yeah. Tobio totally looks back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four days later, the coffee maker at the rec center breaks.

 

Tobio spends so long staring at it that his coworker actually has the nerve to come up behind him and clear his throat, the sound quiet in the morning calm of the center.

 

Tobio ignores him.

 

“Um,” Yamaguchi says after a few awkward seconds, leaning around Tobio to try to figure out what’s going on. “Kageyama, are you trying to set it on fire with your eyes or something?”

 

Tobio doesn’t stop glaring at the coffee maker. “It’s broken.”

 

Yamaguchi sighs. “I don’t think looking at it is going to fix it.”

 

“I’m thinking about whether we have a screwdriver somewhere so I can take it apart and figure out what’s wrong with it.”

 

“You could buy another one after work. I’m sure Ukai-san would let us expense it.”

 

“I want coffee now.”

 

“Go to Starbucks.”

 

Tobio is silent, trying to figure out what he wants to say about whatever burst of excitement goes off in his chest at that suggestion, and apparently his pause is long enough for Yamaguchi to read something into it—which is stupid, because there is _totally nothing to read into it._

 

“What,” Yamaguchi asks.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Nope, tell me.”

 

“Shut up, Yamaguchi.”

 

“Hey! Only Tsukki gets to say that!”

 

Tobio snorts. “Why do you like him again?”

 

Yamaguchi shrugs. “I ask myself that every day. He’s the worst.”

 

“The worst.”

 

“I love him so much, though,” Yamaguchi says, his voice going all dreamy the way it always does when he’s thinking about his childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, which means Tobio’s deflection is working.

 

“But that’s not what we’re talking about!”

 

Fuck.

 

Yamaguchi carries on with a little wave of his hand, “We’re talking about why you’re being all weird about going to Starbucks. It’s just down the road; I’m sure Ukai-san will let you go now. You don’t have a class until later, right?”

 

Tobio nods. “I just don’t want to spend 500 yen for a cup of coffee that should cost like 19 yen.”

 

“I’ve seen you pay way more than 500 yen for tennis shoes that are exactly the same as the ten other pairs you own.”

 

“Fuck you.”

 

“Again, something Tsukki has propriety over,” Yamaguchi says. “Who’s the guy who’s got you all silent and awkward? More awkward than usual, I mean.”

 

Tobio scowls. “No one.”

 

“But he works at Starbucks, yeah? The one three blocks south of here?”

 

Tobio can feel the blush creeping up his cheeks, and he curses his own blood vessels for betraying him at this very important moment.

 

Yamaguchi laughs. “It’s not Nishinoya, is it? He would eat you alive, dude.”

 

Tobio shakes his head. “What? No, it’s not—it’s not anyone, _really_.”

 

Yamaguchi taps his foot. Tobio tries to walk away, but Yamaguchi puts a hand out in front of him with an amused grin on his face, and, well, they’re about the same height even if Yamaguchi is maybe a tiny bit thinner, and Tobio is exhausted because he hasn’t had his coffee yet, and—

 

“Fine. Yeah, there’s a cute barista who works there.”

 

“Who?”

 

Tobio pauses, biting at his lip. “Hinata,” he says, finally, because there’s no harm in telling Yamaguchi when Yamaguchi won’t know who he’s talking about anyways.

 

“Oh, Hinata? The hybrid?”

 

Tobio blushes. “It sounds weird when you say it like that.”

 

Yamaguchi raises an eyebrow. “You mean using the socially accepted term for them? It’s not like they’re exactly rare.”

 

Which, Yamaguchi isn’t _wrong_ , on either account, but still. It sounds weird.

 

“It sounds like I only like him _because_ he’s a hybrid.”

 

“Do you?”

 

“No! I don’t like him. I don’t even _know_ him.”

 

“But you think he’s cute enough that he’s intimidating, which is why you’re not going to go get Starbucks right now.”

 

Tobio ducks his head. “That is correct.”

 

“And you’re not even going to _try_ to ask him on a date because you’re too intimidated.”

 

“I’m afraid he’ll think I only like him because he’s a hybrid!”

 

“But we’ve established that that is not the case, so just tell him that too and you’ll be good to go!”

 

“What about—it’s not like—what if he doesn’t like me because I’m not a hybrid?”

 

Yamaguchi gives him the most scathing look Yamaguchi has ever given anyone, possibly. “Go to Starbucks and get your coffee and give Hinata your number. He’s adorable. He’ll be good for you.”

 

Tobio stares. “What.”

 

“You heard me. Or I’ll make you sweep and mop all three gyms tonight.”

 

“You can’t make me.”

 

“Ukai-san can, and you know he’ll make you do it if I offer to bring donuts for him tomorrow.”

 

“Fuck. I hate sweeping,” Tobio says. Yamaguchi drives a hard bargain. “Okay, fine. Jesus, you win. You’re as bad as Tsukishima. He’s rubbing on off on you.”

 

“Not yet, but he will be later.”

 

Tobio actually jerks back a little. “You look so innocent. I cannot get over— _this._ ”

 

Yamaguchi only laughs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tobio goes back to the same Starbucks and Shouyou is behind the counter, his smile etched across his face like it’s permanent. Jeez, it probably is.

 

“Grande Americano with an extra shot, no room?” Shouyou asks when Tobio reaches the register. He’s the only one in line, the shop surprisingly quiet for a weekday morning, and Tobio nods.

 

“Yeah. And a grande caramel macchiato. My boss’s condition for letting me leave work to come get coffee.”

 

Shouyou grins and rings in the drinks, tapping away at the screen for a while before he moves to the bar to start preparing them.

 

“Wait, how much do I owe you?”

 

“Don’t worry about it. You’re good!”

 

“Are you supposed to do that?”

 

Shouyou grins, his ears flicking and his tail swishing. “You gonna tell on me?”

 

Tobio blushes. “Thanks.”

 

Shouyou nods, finishing up the Americano and sliding it over to him as he starts steaming the milk for the macchiato. “So, any fun plans for the day?”

 

Tobio shakes his head. “It’s Thursday. I’m just working.”

 

Shouyou grins. “I always forget that most people have, like, consistent working schedules.”

 

“You don’t?”

 

Shouyou shakes his head, ears twitching a little. “I’m usually here for the opening shift, but it’s, like, _super_ early. I get here at 4:00 on opening days. So my manager gives me some closing shifts, too, and then it’s a lot more reasonable. But it’s kind of all over the place.”

 

Tobio nods. He’s not sure what to say, though, so he doesn’t say anything.

 

“Hey, your hair looks really nice, by the way. Did you cut it or something?”

 

Tobio meets Shouyou’s gaze, and a flood of heat goes through him when he realizes that Shouyou is looking at him with these dark, intense eyes, his bottom lip trapped between his teeth. His tongue flicks out to lick across the smooth expanse of pink bottom lip, and Tobio has to swallow hard to keep his knees from buckling.

 

Okay, _maybe_ that’s an exaggeration, but then maybe it’s not.

 

“It’s getting long, actually. Probably just falling in my face more.”

 

Shouyou’s grin goes a little wicked. “I like it. Kind of want to feel it to see if it’s as soft as it looks.”

 

Tobio reminds himself to breathe, because holy _shit,_ Shouyou is _totally flirting with him._ “Um…yeah. Yours is…nice too. I mean. Yeah. Nice.”

 

Shouyou drizzles caramel on the macchiato and puts a lid on it. “Thanks! It tickles my ears sometimes though.” He flicks his ears again as if to drive the point home, and Tobio is struck with the sudden urge to reach out and run his fingers through the messy orange locks tufted around Shouyou’s ears.

 

“You should go on a date with me,” Tobio blurts. Which. Okay. Yeah. He’s, like, _not_ smooth. At all. He’s definitely going to be laughed out the door. Maybe even charged for his coffee. Fuck. Fuck. Why.

 

“What, really?” Shouyou says, his posture straightening so he looks like an eager, innocent kid, all excited about Christmas or something.

 

“I…”

 

“Yes. Yes, okay. Here, let me give you my LINE! I’m free tomorrow, actually, but then I have work a bunch of mornings in a row so I’ll be really tired at night, so, yeah, I mean I know it’s Friday and you probably have plans—”

 

“I don’t have plans tomorrow,” Tobio says, because he doesn’t, and for some reason this adorable barista has just agreed to go on a date with him _. Him._

 

“Okay,” Shouyou says. “Okay, yeah. Here.” The exchange LINE QR codes, and then Shouyou flashes his biggest smile.

 

“I should probably get back to work,” Tobio says, after this little pause where he really doesn’t know what to do.

 

Shouyou nods, grinning. “Okay. LINE me and we can meet whenever tomorrow.”

 

“Okay. Um—what do you wanna do?”

 

Shouyou shakes his head, still looking young and eager and so, so innocent. “Anything is fine. Seriously. Except amusement parks, unless you want me to throw up on you.”

 

Tobio nods. “No amusement parks, got it. Okay. Uh, see you tomorrow.”

 

“See you tomorrow!”

 

This time when Tobio leaves the shop, he absolutely does look back. Shouyou waves at him, and he blushes and waves awkwardly back. He almost spills his coffee and Ukai-san’s as well, but whatever. Worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yamaguchi is entirely too excited about the whole date thing.

 

“Where are you taking him? Oh my god, I knew he’d say yes! How did you ask? Oh my god, Kageyama, you’re getting so grown-up!” Yamaguchi wipes away fake tears and grins into his bento. Tobio smacks him hard on the arm. “Ow!”

 

“Shut up. And I don’t know where I’m taking him. I can’t think of anything more interesting than dinner and a movie,” Tobio admits, nibbling at his own rice and eggs and vegetables.

 

Yamaguchi sits up straight in his chair, looking suddenly alert. “You don’t know where you’re taking him? You said you have a date _tonight._ ”

 

Tobio nods. “Yeah, I do, okay? And I don’t know where I’m taking him.”

 

“Well, what does he like?”

 

Tobio blushes. “I don’t know.”

 

“Did you ask him?”

 

“He said anything was fine!”

 

“That doesn’t help you!”

 

“ _I am well aware that it does not._ ”

 

Yamaguchi brushes his bangs out of his face and takes another bite of his lunch. “Okay, well, do you have his LINE? You should message him and get more info.”

 

“He already said anything was fine.”

 

Yamaguchi rolls his eyes. “Look, why don’t we come up with a few ideas, and then you can run them past him and see which one he likes best?”

 

Tobio nods, because that actually does sound like a pretty good idea.

 

“Dinner and a movie is out, by the way, since I know you’re going to suggest that first,” Yamaguchi says.

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Even Tsukki and I get weird and bored doing that, and we’ve known each other for years. It just doesn’t really feel like a date. You don’t get to talk at all.”

 

Tobio blushes and looks down at his lunch. “Yeah, that’s why I like that idea.”

 

“Kageyama, you have to talk to him _._ You’re going on a date with him.”

 

“Talking is difficult.”

 

“Yeah, especially this conversation.”

 

“Thanks, Tsukishima.”

 

“You know, one day same-sex marriage will be a thing in Japan, and then that actually _will_ be my last name, and your joking will not be funny.”

 

Tobio jerks his head up a little, because he had known that Yamaguchi and Tsukishima were basically already married, but he hadn’t realized they were actually so serious about it. “Seriously?”

 

Yamaguchi blushes a little and nods. “Sorry. Didn’t mean for it to go there, but uh…yeah. If Tsukki asked, and it were legal, I would…um, I would marry him. I would marry him right now.”

 

Tobio lets the weight of the statement hang in the air for a few seconds where they both kind of push around the food in their bento boxes, and then he clears his throat. “Okay. So. Dates.”

 

“Dates.”

 

It takes them a while, but they come up with some good ideas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_KageyamaTobio:_ Hey. So, I know you said anything was okay, but I thought I would give you a couple of options and let you pick? I was thinking we should get dinner first and then either go ice skating or bowling or to an arcade. Which would you prefer?

 

_HinaShou:_ Okay so you actually came up with THE COOLEST ideas!!!!

_HinaShou:_ I like all of them shoot how do I choose

_HinaShou:_ okay how about tonight night arcade bc I get rlly competitive while bowling lolol

 

_KageyamaTobio:_ okay.

 

_HinaShou:_ you sound so serious :P

 

_KageyamaTobio:_ I can pick you up at 6 if that works.

 

_HinaShou:_ okay!!!! it might be easier if we just meet at Starbucks? I live like behind the starbucks and it’s hard to find it if you’re in a car.

 

_KageyamaTobio:_ okay, sounds good.

 

_HinaShou:_!!!

_HinaShou:_ see you in a few hours!!!

 

 

Tobio bites his lip, tries to think of something cute to reply, fails, and goes back to work. Whatever. He’ll see Hinata in a couple of hours anyways. He can try to be smooth then.

 

And probably fail. Oh well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tobio arrives at the Starbucks a few minutes before 6:00 and waits in his car, a little bit nervous because it’s been a couple years since he’s been on a date and he’s honestly terrible at the whole thing anyways so like. Fuck. Okay, whatever. He’ll just wait in the car in a totally not creepy way because Hinata will show up in just a minute. It’s fine. It’s _fine_.

 

Hinata does show up just a couple minutes later, but his presence does nothing to slow Tobio’s racing heart. If anything, Hinata’s appearance makes it worse, because he looks adorable out of his work clothes, a pair of fitted dark jeans hugging his thighs, a gray t-shirt adorned with artfully grungy holes nearly slipping off one shoulder. He’s carrying a black jacket, but it’s warm for March, and his pale arms look lean and beautiful in the evening light. Tobio hadn’t known it was possible to feel enticed by the sight of forearms, but. Jeez. Apparently it is.

 

Tobio climbs kind of awkwardly out of the car and nods a little as Hinata skips— _skips_ —towards him down the sidewalk. Hinata’s ears are all perked up, his tail swishing calmly, and Tobio swallows hard against the way his heartbeat stutters.

 

“Hey!” Hinata chirps, big eyes blinking up at Tobio.

 

“Hey,” Tobio kind of croaks, his throat gone dry with the way Hinata is grinning at him.

 

“So, dinner and then the arcade?”

 

Tobio nods. “What do you want to eat?”

 

Hinata grins a little sheepishly. “I know this is gonna sound really stereotypical, but I love sushi. So, um, if you don’t mind, we could go to Sushiro or Kurasushi or something?”

 

Tobio nods, but he furrows his brow. “Why is that stereotypical?”

 

Hinata gives him an incredulous look, and then the most wonderful thing happens: Hinata smacks Tobio’s arm with his tail. It’s just a light little tap, kind of uncoordinated because Hinata’s tail is fluffy and he’s not a cat hybrid or something with a little more tail dexterity, but it still makes Tobio blush hard. “I’m literally a fox, remember? I love fish,” Hinata says, smiling and sticking out his tongue a little.

 

Tobio coughs a little to cover his shock and delight, and then he gestures Hinata into his car.

 

“Wait, I’m supposed to open the door for you, aren’t I?” Tobio says as soon as Hinata is sitting in the passenger seat. Hinata laughs and waves him off.

 

“Nah, that’s always weird! Like you’re a valet or something, which you’re totally not.”

 

Tobio nods. “Do you drive?”

 

Hinata shrugs. “I can, but I’m really short so I have to scoot the seat way forwards. My friends all laugh at me for it.”

 

Tobio snorts. “Well now I have to see it.”

 

Hinata groans a little and rests his head against the window, turning to appraise Tobio as they drive. “No way! It’s embarrassing!”

 

“It’s not like I don’t already know how short you are, dumbass,” Tobio says without thinking, and then he realizes what he’s said and starts to freak out about how rude it was.

 

But Hinata just laughs and laughs. “I guess that’s true. Is that why you liked me? You want to be way taller than whoever you’re dating?”

 

“Dumbass, no, I just thought you were cute. Don’t make it weird.”

 

Hinata giggles harder. “Oh, so you just thought I was cute in general? That’s good, because I don’t have a lot else going for me. Overly into seafood, can’t wear earphones very easily, have to scoot the seat way forward to drive…it’s a wonder anyone likes me, really!”

 

Tobio rolls his eyes and turns into the Sushiro parking lot. “Yeah, you’re definitely not funny or sweet or shiny or anything.”

 

“Shiny?”

 

Tobio blushes hard. “Shut up.”

 

“I’m _shiny_?”

 

“ _Yes_ , okay, you’re like all bright and shiny and pretty. It’s annoying.”

 

“Wow, we’ve only known each other for like three conversations and you’re already giving me weird compliments. Maybe I should rethink this date situation.”

 

“I didn’t mean to be weird.”

 

“It’s fine; I like it. Weirdo.”

 

Tobio sticks out his tongue. He feels like a child when he does it, even though he hadn’t been a very playful child just the way he’s really not that playful now. Apparently Hinata brings it out in him.

 

Hinata grins from the passenger seat as Tobio backs into the parking space, and together they head into the restaurant, hands swinging between them and almost touching, Tobio resisting the urge to just grab Hinata’s hand and hold on tight.

 

“Okay, so. Moment of truth: what’s your favorite kind of sushi?” Hinata asks as they sit down, his face lighting up as Tobio scoops some matcha powder into cups for them and adds hot water.

 

Tobio shrugs. “Salmon or shrimp, I guess.”

 

Hinata nods seriously. “Okay, you’ve passed the test then.”

 

“It was a test?”

 

“Yes. If you had said egg or shirako, I would’ve walked out on you.” Hinata really doesn’t look like he’s joking.

 

Tobio nods because Hinata is right. “I would’ve walked out on myself honestly.”

 

Hinata’s laugh sounds like it’s been startled out of him, and Tobio lets himself grin just a little.

 

They eat without a lot of substantial conversation once their initial orders come along the conveyor belt, Hinata crowing about everything he wants to eat and then getting all excited over the wasabi and soy sauce as he picks up piece after piece between his chopsticks and regards each one all happy and beautiful. Every time he takes a bite, he closes his eyes and tips his head back and hums around the fish and rice, his lips twisted into a smile even though he’s chewing. His ears are relaxed and his tail is calm behind him.

 

Tobio ducks his head and focuses on his own food. It’s that or reach across to pet Hinata’s soft-looking ears, which. Inappropriate.

 

After they finish eating, Tobio drives them to the arcade. It’s not far, but Hinata turns on the radio and sings along to some pop song, smiling at Tobio the whole time. Tobio is amazed that anyone can be that confident and comfortable on a first date; while he isn’t exactly feeling self-conscious himself, Hinata’s obvious happiness making him relaxed and at ease, Tobio has never been someone who could jump into a new situation so easily and flourish.

 

They head straight for the Skee-Ball machines when they get to the arcade, and Hinata instigates a competition over who can get the highest score. Tobio is so enamored that he actually considers losing on purpose to make Hinata feel good, but then Hinata turns to him with a scowl and gets right up in his face to yell at him.

 

“Don’t go easy on me, you asshole!” Hinata is scary competitive, it turns out.

 

Tobio—somehow—keeps his cool. He raises an eyebrow and doesn’t back up, instead leaning in towards Hinata just a little bit and letting a smirk twist his lips. “I have to go easy or else I’ll crush you and hurt your feelings.”

 

Hinata’s brows knit together in this expression that looks more adorable than angry. “You won’t hurt my feelings. It hurts them more for you to lose on purpose like I’m a child.”

 

“You’re not much bigger than a child,” Tobio says, suddenly daring to look up and down Hinata’s body in an obvious attempt to check him out. He can see the way Hinata’s breath catches a little in his throat, eyes widening as he realizes what’s happening.

 

“Maybe I’ll start crying on purpose and make everyone here feel bad for me,” Hinata says, voice dropping a little, like he’s trying to refocus himself.

 

“What, you’ll tell everyone I was trying to make you happy by losing to you?”

 

“I’ll tell them you pulled my tail,” Hinata says, running his tongue along his lower lip and blinking slow and almost dazed at Tobio, his ears twitching a little and angling back like he’s restless, agitated.

 

Tobio sucks in a breath through parted lips and brings a hand up so it’s _almost_ touching Hinata’s cheek, his fingers hanging delicately in the air between them. “Oh yeah? Do you want me to pull your tail?”

 

Hinata’s eyes widen and then go dark and heavy, half-lidded even though they’re _in public, oh fuck,_ and Tobio swallows and leans just the slightest bit closer. Hinata’s eyes flick down to Tobio’s lips, and _shit_ , maybe they should—should—

 

Tobio takes a breath and leans away. Their first kiss isn’t going to be in an arcade, of all places.

 

“Fine,” Tobio says. “You can try to beat me fair and square, then.”

 

Hinata looks dazed, kind of out of it even as he turns back towards his own Skee-Ball machine, but he somehow manages to refocus enough to win.

 

He kicks Tobio’s ass, really, but maybe that’s because Tobio is the one who’s too distracted staring at his partner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_HinaShou:_ so since I beat you so badly at skiball last night I think we should go do something else that I’m really good at so I can beat you more

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ what did you have in mind?

 

_HinaShou:_ you said ice skating last time

_HinaShou:_ like as an option

_HinaShou:_ what you didn’t know is that I’m really good at it

_HinaShou:_ and would b rlly happy to beat u at it

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ I’m free next weekend. I can pick you up at 3.

 

_HinaShou:_ at the starbucks?

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ yep. starbucks at 3.

 

_HinaShou:_ :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It turns out that Hinata _is_ really good at ice skating, but Tobio quickly realizes that it’s because he has the added benefit of a tail to help him balance, and it really makes a difference. Tobio isn’t actually a bad skater himself, but tails are literally _meant_ to help animals keep their balance. Hinata is, like, incapable of falling.

 

Either that or he’s actually just a really good skater. Tobio can’t tell because he, unfortunately, does not have a tail and therefore can’t check to see how much of a difference it makes.

 

“Come on! I bet you can’t beat me!” Hinata yells as he swirls around the rink, his tail swishing and sparkling with the little shards of ice that have been collecting in it as they’ve been skating. He looks beautiful in his dark gray coat and his green scarf and his maroon gloves, his hair bright in the synthetic lights of the rink. His tail is longer than Tobio might have expected, all orange and tufted white at the end, and it looks beautiful streaming behind Hinata as he zigzags across the ice. There aren’t many people on the rink with them even though it’s open skate on a weekend, and Hinata is really taking advantage of the space to dart around, unable to do any tricks but still wicked fast and precise in his movements.

 

“I can,” Tobio says, because for all of Hinata’s balance, Tobio definitely has the muscle strength advantage, his thighs and calves strong from years of volleyball. As long as he can stay upright—which, really, he _probably_ can because he’s decently coordinated and good at sports in general—he can win.

 

Hinata sticks out his tongue. “Okay. Start at the red line, race once around?”

 

Tobio nods, angling his skates to stop. He’s not _great_ at that part, but he doesn’t need to stop to win a race, right? Right. They line up at the red line and eye each other, Hinata’s eyes set with determination, his lips just playing at a smirk.

 

“Ready, set, _go!_ ” Hinata yells, and they take off, their skates scraping hard at the ice as they try to gain traction against the slippery surface. Tobio takes the lead right away, his skates digging in hard at the ice and then gliding as he gains momentum. Hinata isn’t far behind, though, his balance giving him the ability to take longer strides than Tobio can, and by the time they’re taking the third turn, they’re neck and neck.

 

Hinata snarls and pulls ahead as they round the last corner, his balance helping him during the turn, but then Tobio’s leg strength closes the tiny gap and sends Tobio shooting out ahead and over the red line. He shouts his victory in the echoing rink, getting a few looks from the people who Tobio has somehow managed to avoid colliding with. Tobio looks over his shoulder to see Hinata shaking his head and grinning behind him, and then Hinata’s expression goes shocked and worried, and Tobio doesn’t even have time to figure out why before he’s slamming hard into the wall of the rink, his head hitting the Plexiglas before he crumples to the ice with a groan.

 

“Kageyama! Kageyama, are you okay? Oh my god,” Hinata says, pulling up so fast he also kind of hits the wall, but at least he does it facing forwards so he can catch himself with outstretched hands. Hinata kneels down and reaches out a hand as Tobio moans and forces himself to sit up, his ears ringing.

 

“I’m okay,” he says, rubbing at the back of his head as blinking slowly at Hinata, who’s crouching over him.

 

“Do you have a concussion? How many fingers am I holding up?” Hinata holds up his whole hand, and Tobio bats it away.

 

“I’m fine, seriously.”

 

“You should go sit down! I can’t believe that just happened!”

 

Tobio swallows and touches the back of his head with careful fingers. Yup, there’s a definitely lump there already, but he’s not bleeding or anything. He doesn’t think.

 

“You want me to check if you’re bleeding?” Hinata asks, almost like he’s reading Tobio’s mind, and Tobio nods a little and ducks his head forward, grimacing at the way his neck twinges.

 

“Thanks,” Tobio mutters as Hinata pulls off a glove and gets up on his knees to examine the back of Tobio’s head. There are fingers in Tobio’s hair, then, gentle digits carding through the dark strands and sending little shocks of comfort down Tobio’s spine. Tobio closes his eyes and waits as Hinata strokes his fingers all the way down the back of his neck before he pulls away with a huff.

 

“You’re not bleeding. But that’s a pretty big lump.”

 

“Yeah,” Tobio says. “I’m sure it’ll hurt tomorrow. I’ll have to make sure the girls don’t hit me with the volleyball.”

 

Hinata grins and helps Tobio to his feet. “Oh, yeah! You said you were a volleyball coach last time and I totally forgot to ask you more about it! You wanna go get some ice cream and tell me?”

 

Tobio nods, mostly because he’s definitely getting a headache now and he doesn’t really want to risk more skating. “Yeah, sure. Come on,” he says, not letting go of Hinata’s hand as they climb off the rink. He tells himself it’s to keep his balance, but then he thinks, fuck it, no it’s not. They separate only to take their skates off and return them in exchange for their normal shoes.

 

Hinata grins up at him and raises an eyebrow when Tobio reaches out for his hand again as they exit the rink, but he doesn’t say anything, and more importantly, he doesn’t pull away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

They end up at a parfait place just a little ways from Tobio’s apartment. Hinata gets the berry cheesecake parfait, and Tobio gets the chocolate, and then they split both. The berry cheesecake is rich and creamy, tart on the tongue; the chocolate is the perfect mix of bitter and sweet with just a little drizzle of caramel. Hinata does his same little bite-eye flutter-smile-hum thing he had done at the sushi place, and Tobio blushes and takes little bites, too distracted by Hinata to pay as much attention to the food as he should.

 

“So,” Hinata says, “Tell me about coaching. Why do you play volleyball?”

 

Tobio shrugs, jolted out of his reverie. “I started playing when I was really little. It just kind of stuck. I don’t know.”

 

Hinata sticks out his tongue and licks chocolate off his spoon. “Elaborate.”

 

“I don’t know, I just…I like volleyball,” Tobio offers lamely, because he’s not about to get into his junior high school angst and subsequent character development during high school that had ended with him learning to play on a team and falling even more in love with the sport he can never get enough of. They’re at a parfait shop. It’s their second date.

 

But Hinata is frowning. “Come on, I know there’s gotta be some good back story there! You look all angsty and serious all of a sudden. I mean, you always look _kind of_ angsty and serious, but now it’s like…bwahh.”

 

Hinata looks so beseeching and genuine that Tobio’s mouth goes dry. He swallows down nothing and shakes his head, because fuck. Apparently he’s about to get into his junior high school angst and subsequent character development during high school that had ended with him learning to play on a team and falling even more in love with the sport he can never get enough of. At a parfait shop. On their second date.

 

Hinata listens all the way through, and at the end, he bites his lip and scoops up the best bite of berry cheesecake parfait he can, and then he holds it out to Tobio with a very resolute expression, his mouth soft and his eyes wide.

 

Tobio guides the spoon into his mouth without breaking eye contact, his fingers resting light against Hinata’s, the flavor somehow better when it’s being offered like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After they finish the parfaits, it’s late enough that they decide to skip dinner and just head home. Tobio has to get up early in the morning for a volleyball practice match with his oldest girls’ team anyway, so he drops Hinata back at the Starbucks and parks the car, clicking off his seatbelt and looking over because he really, really doesn’t want to leave.

 

“You wanna walk me to my door? I can show you where it is so we can stop meeting up at my place of employment,” Hinata teases, biting his lip a little. His ears are flattened just enough to tell Tobio that he’s nervous, but Tobio nods and climbs out of the car into the warm spring air.

 

“So now that you’ve heard my sob story, are you going to tell me yours?” Tobio says as they walk back behind the Starbucks and towards a group of apartments clustered behind a playground and a grocery store.

 

Hinata looks up at him with a puzzled expression that reveals more than it’s probably meant to. “Sob story? Teenage angst is way more than just a sob story, Kageyama. Maybe I was super emo in high school.”

 

“Emo? You mean like visual kei?”

 

Hinata grins, head tilting to the side as his ears flick around. “Yep!”

 

Tobio stares, kind of taken aback. “Were you?”

 

Hinata sticks out his tongue. “Guess you’ll never know, considering you think that sort of thing is just a _sob story_ ,” he says, nudging into Tobio with a little giggle.

 

Tobio blushes and clears his throat. “Sorry, I just…”

 

Hinata’s grin softens. “It’s fine. I’m just teasing. You’re cute.”

 

Tobio’s blush deepens, and he shakes his head. “Stop it,” he says, following Hinata around the building to the correct entrance. It’s still evening, not really that late, but hardly anyone is around. Hinata kind of fiddles with his keys, and Tobio swallows and looks down at him, uncertain of what to do next.

 

“You wanna hang out next weekend?” Hinata asks, moving so he’s not standing directly in front of the door to his building, and Tobio nods and follows him so they’re sort of hovering near the brick wall under a little metal awning.

 

“Do you want to do anything in particular?”

 

Hinata shrugs, his tail swaying back and forth behind him, his ears twitching. “I’m easy!” It’s said a little bit too innocently for Tobio to believe that Hinata isn’t baiting him with such a suggestive phrase, and Tobio takes a breath and summons all his courage and leans in, letting his nerves go in favor of listening to his instincts.

 

“Oh really,” he says, flicking his gaze over Hinata’s small frame the way he had at the arcade the previous weekend.

 

Hinata grins, and it’s a little bit wicked. “Yeah, you know,” he says. “What do you want to do with me?”

 

Tobio’s breath hitches with the way Hinata’s eyelashes flutter, a coy expression painted across his round cheeks. Everything about Hinata is so soft, from the plump of his face to the fluff of his hair to the curve of his stomach and thighs. Hybrids of all genders tend to carry weight because most of them are capable of conceiving young, and Hinata is no exception, even if the slight pooch of his stomach hides strong abs that Tobio had glimpsed when Hinata had pulled up his sweatshirt after ice skating and accidentally gotten his shirt caught with the hoodie.

 

“Hinata,” Tobio says, stepping in a little closer and then glancing around just quick enough to confirm that they’re still alone. They are. “Fuck,” he says, lifting a hand just the way he had at the arcade, except this time his fingers ghost over Hinata’s round cheek and brush hair off his forehead.

 

“Kageyama,” Hinata says, lips parting in a sigh, and Tobio’s name sounds so breathy and stunned that it sends a shudder down Tobio’s spine.

 

“I’m gonna—” Tobio gasps, and Hinata nods.

 

“Yeah—yeah,” Hinata says, and then Tobio leans forward and kisses him, their lips meeting with a little smack that has Tobio’s heart racing. Tobio steps forward a little and lets his hands grasp at Hinata’s and then he presses Hinata carefully up against the brick wall behind them, their fingers intertwined as Tobio fits his body all along Hinata’s, caging the smaller frame in below him.

 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Hinata says, drawing back just to gasp the broken syllable into the evening, and Tobio presses his mouth to Hinata’s throat and sucks once before pulling off and letting his mouth find Hinata’s again. It’s electric, terrifying, overwhelming. Hinata offers a little kitten-lick at Tobio’s lips, and Tobio opens his mouth to suck Hinata’s lower lip between his own and bite, and Hinata whimpers and squeezes all of Tobio’s fingers between his own, and Tobio can’t help but groan, because fuck. _Fuck._

 

They pull back after a minute or so, Tobio’s forehead resting heavy against Hinata’s. They’re in public still, or else Tobio would be lifting Hinata up against the wall and tugging Hinata’s legs around his waist and—and—fuck, he kind of _still_ wants to do those things even though they _are_ in public, and he shuts that line of thought down in favor of studying Hinata’s pale skin, his orange hair, his bright brown eyes, his big perked-up ear.

 

“See you next weekend?” Hinata asks after a few seconds of silence.

 

Tobio takes a step back and nods. Hinata’s lips are swollen. Tobio grits his teeth to keep himself from kissing Hinata again. “Yeah. Next weekend.”

 

Hinata grins, still looking a little bit out of it, and then he pushes off the wall to kiss Tobio one more time, just a sweet, lingering peck.

 

“See you later, Kageyama,” Hinata says, squeezing Tobio’s hands one more time. It’s only then that Tobio realizes he’s still holding on.

 

“See you, Hinata,” Tobio says, feeling as dazed as Hinata looks.

 

And then Hinata goes into the building, and Tobio watches through the glass doors as Hinata presses the button for the elevator and then waves as he boards.

 

Fuck. _Fuck._

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So, how’s your boyfriend?” Yamaguchi asks on Monday at work.

 

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Tobio says, sipping his coffee.

 

“You’re drinking Starbucks again. That’s the fourth time in the past week.”

 

Tobio looks down at the cup in his hands. “Fuck.”

 

Yamaguchi looks way too pleased. It’s an expression Tobio has seen on Tsukishima before. “Is Tsukishima becoming more like you while you morph into him?” Tobio asks. “Like, is he going to look like a harmless, cute little puppy the next time I see him?”

 

Yamaguchi just laughs. “Yeah, totally. He’s super into role reversal.”

 

Tobio just sits there opening and closing his mouth, flabbergasted. “What the fuck. When did you get like this. I’ve known you for years. Ever since you and Tsukishima admitted your undying love, you’re, like, all _confident_ and aggressive. Jesus.”

 

Yamaguchi just shrugs. “I get a lot of support from the boy I’m in love with. Do you get free coffee from the boy _you’re_ in love with?”

 

Tobio splutters even more. “ _Stop it. Stop it._ ”

 

Yamaguchi only laughs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The night before their third date, Hinata calls late. Like, late enough that Tobio is a little worried as he picks up the phone.

 

“Hinata? What’s going on,” he asks.

 

“Hey, uh—it’s nothing, really, just, uh…” Hinata’s voice sounds kind of weak and shaky, like he’s sick or maybe…embarrassed?

 

“Are you okay?” Tobio asks, because he’s kind of _really concerned_ all of a sudden.

 

“I’m—no, I’m fine, it’s just, I’m sorry, uh…I have to cancel our date tomorrow.”

 

Tobio tries to ignore the way his heart drops at this, because of course he’s been thinking Hinata would get bored and dump him, and it’s not like they’re even officially _dating_ or anything and it was only a matter of time, really, so—“That’s okay,” he says, quiet. “I understand.”

 

There’s a pause on the other end of the line. “Kageyama?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m really sorry.”

 

Tobio bites his lip, feeling overwhelmingly heartbroken. Which. Is stupid. They’ve been on _two dates._ Fuck, he really shouldn’t have told the whole volleyball story. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

 

“Kageyama?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“You’re being really quiet…um, do you want to reschedule?”

 

Tobio freezes. “You’re not ending things now?”

 

The catch in Hinata’s breath is audible over the line. “What? No? I just—wait, did you think I didn’t want to see you anymore?”

 

Tobio sighs, unsure of whether he should be happy or confused or frustrated with Hinata’s lack of clarity. “Yes?”

 

Hinata laughs, but he still sounds shaky and a little rough. “Oh, no, no, it’s just…something came up. I kind of forgot about it. It’s, like, not really a big deal, but…uh, yeah.”

 

Tobio raises an eyebrow. “Are you sick or something? You sound weird.”

 

Hinata chuckles that weak little laugh again. “Uh, yeah, something…hey, I really am sorry. I was really looking forward to our date,” he says, sounding a little softer, breathy even.

 

Tobio has to swallow down the flood of emotion that wells up in his throat. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

 

“Help?” Hinata sounds incredulous. “You—you are offering a lot, and you do not even know it,” he says, almost like he’s saying it to himself.

 

Tobio frowns. “Just tell me. Whatever it is, tell me.”

 

“Uh…it’s not…something you’re probably really familiar with…”

 

“Tell me anyways.”

 

Hinata huffs. “I…um, I’m going into heat. I didn’t—I keep forgetting because I’m on these new suppressants that make the symptoms mostly go away, but, like, it’s still not exactly easy on me? Or on you, if you were around. So, um, yeah. I can’t really like…go do something. Too tired. I’m sorry. I was so excited that I didn’t think about it.”

 

Tobio sits up straighter on his couch. “Do you have someone with you?”

 

“What? No, of course not; it’s not—you would be—”

 

“I’m not asking because of, like, romantic stuff. Sex, or whatever a heat entails. I’m just—are you okay? Is it safe for you to be alone? Are you drinking water and eating and stuff?”

 

“ _Bakageyama_ , I’m not going into full-on heat,” Hinata says. “Seriously, these suppressants are fine. I’ve gone through a heat with them before and nothing went wrong. I just get shaky and weak, kinda achy, low-grade fever, can’t go to work. It’s nothing compared with how my heats were before.”

 

Tobio snorts. “That still sounds like the symptoms of a moderate flu.”

 

Hinata snorts back. “Yeah. Biology was not kind to me.”

 

“Your ears are really cute,” Tobio says, and then realizes how terrible that sounds. “Shit, not that—not that I’m saying you should have to, like, suffer in order to make other people think you look good, shit, please talk so that I can shut up now.”

 

“Hey, I’m super good at talking! And don’t worry, I know what you were getting at. But, uh, I am kind of tired right now, and um…I, well, _nesting_ is a thing, even if you’re on suppressants, so, um, yeah, I’ve just admitted to you that I’m gonna go put all my blankets on my bed and turn old t-shirts into pillowcases and now _you_ need to start talking so that _I_ can shut up.”

 

“I could come over.”

 

Tobio kicks himself as soon as he says it. Because it’s a ludicrous offer, really, for him to suggest that he spend Hinata’s heat there in Hinata’s house, in Hinata’s _nest_ , even if Hinata has explained that the symptoms won’t be like usual. There’s no _way_ Hinata will accept, seriously, Tobio is terrible for having asked, god—

 

“You would want to?”

 

Tobio swallows. “Yeah,” he says, because _fuck,_ the image of Hinata lying curled up in a tangled nest of blankets and old t-shirts is just. Fuck. Way too much for Tobio’s three-sizes-too-small heart.

 

“Oh,” Hinata says. “That’s…very generous. But, um, you know I’m not actually going to, like, be all insatiable and begging for you to fuck me, right? Because that’s not…one of the symptoms. With the suppressants.”

 

“Wha—dumbass, I wasn’t offering in the hopes of getting you to sleep with me,” Tobio says, because he really wasn’t. “I want to come over and cuddle with you. And bring you fruit and water and stuff, and make sure your fever doesn’t get too high. But it was presumptuous and rude, so I’m sorry.”

 

Hinata is quiet for a minute, and his voice is small when he speaks. “It wasn’t presumptuous or rude,” he says. “You can—you should come over. If you want to. Even though we’ve only been on two dates.”

 

Tobio’s heart pounds. “Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. I—physical contact will make me feel better. _Way_ better,” he says, voice going really vulnerable there for a second.

 

“Okay,” Tobio says, because fuck it, he’s at least half in love. “I can be there in ten minutes. Fifteen, if you want me to stop and get food.”

 

Hinata huffs a soft little sigh of gratitude. “Fuck. You’re like—are you even real? Um, would you mind picking up some takoyaki? I’m really craving it right now.”

 

“Yeah,” Tobio says, “Of course. You want anything else? Dessert?”

 

“Ice cream,” Hinata says, voice going a little whiny, almost petulant. “I want the caramel cheesecake flavor. Ben and Jerry’s. They only have mini tubs at the supermarket near my place, so get, like, three of them.”

 

Tobio can’t help the smile that twists his lips as Hinata lists off these demands. “Anything else, princess?” He teases, hoping Hinata can hear the fond amusement in his voice.

 

Hinata sucks in a little gasp. “Oh, oh, shit, I’m sorry,” he says. “I always get like this during my heats. And, like, I might be kind of mean to you. Or, at least anxious and stressed out. It’s, like, really stressful, the whole thing. I’m already getting kind of jumpy, and I’m just in pre-heat right now.”

 

Tobio grins. He doesn’t know a lot about hybrids and heats beyond what was taught in school, but he’s eager to learn. He reminds himself to do some research on his own so that Hinata doesn’t have to teach him everything, and then he says goodbye and hangs up the phone and heads out of the house.

 

But not before he fills a backpack with a bunch of his old, worn t-shirts to bring to Hinata in case Hinata wants them for his nest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I can’t find my phone charger and I’m freaking out,” Hinata says when he answers the door, his movements shaky and kind of frantic as he steps back to let Tobio inside. Hinata completely ignores the groceries and the takoyaki and the backpack of clothes in favor of scurrying around the tiny living room looking under couch cushions and behind the TV, so Tobio sets down everything he’s carrying and slips his shoes off, and then he joins in the search, because really, what else is he going to do? Hinata’s tail is flicking rapidly, his ears flattened down to his head in distress, and Tobio is smitten and hurting for this boy that he _totally doesn’t love you’ve gone on two dates oh my god._

 

Tobio finds the phone charger plugged into a socket behind the table and announces his victory. Hinata starts to cry.

 

“Oh,” Hinata says through the sniffles, “I forgot about this part. It’s been like six months since I had to do this so I kind of forgot about—I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” He stands there with his shoulders slumped in the middle of the living room, and Tobio wants to reach over and just, like, _hug_ him, but he isn’t sure if that’s okay and so instead he grabs the ice cream and the takoyaki from where he’s left them lying on the floor. The ice cream doesn’t seem too melted, so Tobio shoves that in the freezer (he got like 20 little half-pints in about six flavors, so what) and microwaves the now-cooled takoyaki, and Hinata stands there and cries until Tobio awkwardly hands him the food, at which point Hinata instantly stops crying and eats the entire plate in about three minutes.

 

“Sorry,” he says as he finishes the last piece, “Thank you. Sorry.”

 

Tobio snorts amusement. “It’s fine. Sorry you were freaking out about your phone cord. Why was it under the table?”

 

“I forgot to charge it last night, so I plugged it in over here for while I did chores and stuff. I don’t—I can’t believe I forgot that.”

 

“I can’t believe you only have one lightning cable.”

 

Hinata looks up at Tobio with this _devastated_ expression and starts crying again. Fuck.

 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I know you weren’t being mean,” Hinata says. “I’m sorry.”

 

Tobio doesn’t let himself stop to think this time. Instead, he reaches across the table and pulls Hinata’s hands away from his face and kisses his forehead. “It’s fine. Come on. You said you had some nesting to do?”

 

Hinata draws back with a look of astonishment and nods, shy. “It’s not…it’s kind of weird for me to be showing you that, because, like, usually people don’t show it to their…people they’re dating, like, until they’re really serious. I know this cat hybrid who hasn’t ever taken suppressants because he started dating his best friend pretty young, and his best friend is a cat hybrid too, so they just always went through heats together once those started. But they still didn’t show each other their nests until they’d been together for, like, a year.”

 

Tobio pauses. “If you don’t want me to see…”

 

“No, I do,” Hinata says. “It’s just—it’s funny; usually people start sleeping together before they share their nests. I guess we’re just doing it the opposite way.”

 

Tobio shrugs. “I don’t mind if you don’t.”

 

Hinata shakes his head. “I don’t mind. I want you to cuddle me in my nest for the next three days. Or, I mean, as long as you can stay.”

 

Tobio nods. “I already called out from work tomorrow, actually. So I can stay.”

 

“You called out in the middle of the night?”

 

“I texted my coworker. It’s fine. He was cool with it.”

 

“You didn’t have to do that.”

 

“It’s fine. I just owe my coworker a favor now, but he’s okay. He won’t be mean about it,” Tobio says. Yamaguchi had been more than happy to cover for him, especially when Tobio had promised one favor, redeemable at any time, subject to terms of reasonability and cost.

 

“Okay. Uh, yeah, nesting.”

 

Tobio is led into the bedroom, and as it turns out, his shirts are greatly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“So, do you watch movies or something while you hang around here?” Tobio asks.

 

Hinata shrugs, sitting in the middle of his nest with his knees curled under his chin, like he’s not sure what to do with the space he’s occupying. Tobio thinks maybe he’s supposed to be invited into that space before he enters it, so he waits until Hinata scoots back a little and gestures for Tobio to join him before climbing in next to him.

 

“Sometimes,” Hinata says. “But, I don’t know, sometimes I just don’t feel like it. It’s honestly less taxing to just lie around in the dark.” He blinks a little, and Tobio climbs carefully into the nice little valley of pillows and blankets in the middle of the bed. “I used to not be able to do anything, but now that I’m on better suppressants, movies will probably be okay.”

 

Tobio nods, lying back across the bed and letting Hinata situate himself however he wants to, which turns out to involve a lot of rearranging blankets and nosing around. Finally comfortable, Hinata falls against Tobio’s side kind of boneless. It’s unreasonably cute.

 

“We don’t have to,” Tobio says. “If you’d rather just lie here. Try to sleep, or whatever.”

 

Hinata nuzzles at the blankets near his face, and Tobio reaches up to run gentle fingers through Hinata’s hair. When his hand glances past Hinata’s ears, Hinata chases the pressure and smiles a little, so Tobio brushes the spot again. “Yeah, can you shut off the light?” Hinata asks? “I always feel worse the night before, actually.”

 

Tobio reaches up and flicks the light switch, and the room drops into darkness. It’s almost 1:00 a.m. now, but Tobio isn’t particularly tired.

 

“Is this okay?”

 

Hinata trembles a little, just a shudder running through him, and then he nods. “Yeah,” he says. “Better.” He shakes again and then stops, and Tobio runs a hand along his arm. “Sorry. I’m gonna get all shaky. Like, muscle spasms and stuff. That’ll probably go away by late tomorrow.”

 

Tobio wraps an arm around Hinata and tucks his forehead against the nape of Hinata’s neck. “How can I help?”

 

Hinata sighs. “You are helping. Just by being here, you’re helping.”

 

Tobio nods. He’s honestly a little bit floored that Hinata is allowing him here at all, considering how private heats usually are. They’re not so much taboo as they are…well, intimate, for lack of a better word. And Tobio has only been on two dates with Hinata, even if Yamaguchi is already accusing him of being in love with the kid.

 

“Okay,” Tobio says after a second. “But if you think of anything in particular, let me know. That I can do to help, I mean.”

 

Hinata pauses for a moment, long enough that Tobio is sure he’s got some idea in his head. “You could…” Hinata says, and then he snuggles his face into Tobio’s throat. “You should call me ‘Shouyou’. It’s like…I don’t know. You just should do that. If you don’t mind.”

 

Tobio’s heart stutters. “Yeah, okay. Shouyou, then. And um. You can call me ‘Tobio’. I don’t mind.”

 

Hinata— _Shouyou_ —nods into Tobio’s chest. “Thanks. It just sounds nice, you know? Hearing your own name instead of just your family name. It’s comforting.”

 

“Yeah,” Tobio says, because he may not be a hybrid seeking comfort in the midst of a suppressed heat, but he is a person, and all the distant formality of family names starts to feel a little lonely to him sometimes too.

 

Shouyou nuzzles a little further into Tobio’s neck. “I’m going to try to sleep. Sorry if it’s not very restful. I might keep you awake, like, tossing around and stuff.”

 

Tobio shakes his head against the pillow and runs his hands down Shouyou’s back, because it seems like the physical contact is something Shouyou likes. But still, probably best to check in. “Hey, Shouyou,” he says, “Is it okay if I touch you? I don’t mean, um, sexually. At all. Just, um, what are the boundaries here, I guess?”

 

Shouyou lets out a little hum, like he’s thinking. “My hair is fine, and my back. It actually really helps to have you, like, petting my head and my back. Maybe avoid the tail and ears for now,” Shouyou says, his voice going a little thin. Tobio kind of wonders what that’s about, but of course he’s not going to push it. “And my arms and hands are fine. I don’t know when you’d exactly have the opportunity to be, like, petting my legs? I mean I guess that would be fine, too, but for our current cuddling session, I think practicality dictates you just kinda pet my hair and back and arms, I guess. Ugh, sorry, it feels weird to be asking for that.”

 

“It’s not weird,” Tobio says. “Thanks for telling me. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

 

Shouyou’s hand comes up to stroke at Tobio’s neck. “What about you? You don’t mind me cuddling you like this, do you?” Shouyou is all tucked under Tobio’s arm, his chest pressed into Tobio’s side, head tucked into the crook of Tobio’s neck. It’s warm and pleasant. It’s the most comfortable Tobio has been in forever.

 

“This is fine,” Tobio says. “And don’t worry about keeping me awake. We don’t have anything to do tomorrow, right?”

 

Shouyou sighs, all content and happy, and there’s this little growl in the back of his throat that makes Tobio’s face go all hot. “Right,” Shouyou says. He’s quiet for a few minutes, and right before he drifts off, Tobio hears him say, “Wow, having you here, like, _really_ helps.”

 

Tobio’s blush doesn’t subside until he finally falls asleep.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waking up in the morning feels—well, Tobio isn’t great with words, and he can’t really describe how it feels. All he knows is that he wakes up to Shouyou _purring_ on his chest, still asleep or at least dozing, his orange hair a halo against the cream of the sheets and his ears pressed lazily against his head, not threatened but content. Tobio’s chest feels like it’s going to burst with how adorable and tiny Shouyou looks, and he strokes hair off Shouyou’s forehead and presses a kiss there, brave enough to do it while Shouyou is asleep. They’ve only kissed once for real, the one from the end of their second date, and Tobio doesn’t want to push the boundaries on that.

 

It takes maybe a half hour before Shouyou’s eyes finally crack open, and they widen when Shouyou hears himself purring. The sound cuts off immediately, Shouyou’s cheeks going all pink and pretty.

 

“Don’t stop,” Tobio says, because it sounds so quiet without the little rumble coming from Shouyou’s chest.

 

Shouyou’s blush deepens. “Sorry,” he says. “I didn’t mean to.”

 

“It was nice,” Tobio says, rolling over a little so that they’re lying next to each other under the blankets, eyes locked and foreheads close.

 

“It’s not—that’s—I don’t really do that very much.”

 

Tobio tangles their fingers together and looks down. “Yeah, I didn’t realize foxes could…uh, could purr.”

 

Shouyou shakes his head. “It’s not really purring, not like what a cat does. We call it crooning, actually, and it’s more of a hybrid thing than a fox thing. But uh. Yeah. I don’t know.”

 

Tobio nods. “It’s fine. It was cute.”

 

“I really like you.” Hinata says it so easily that Tobio’s head spins. _He likes me, he likes me, he likes me—_

“Hey, so, I guess having you here really is helping a lot? Because I actually feel like I could get up and have breakfast, and I’m not even shaking, which is _incredible_ , seriously, I should be, like, vibrating out of my skin by now, and—anyways, um, yeah, you wanna come make breakfast with me? And then we can play videogames or something? I don’t really want to leave the house even if I do feel pretty okay.”

 

Tobio nods. “Yeah, that sounds great,” he says, because it _does._ It sounds like the best way to spend a day possibly _ever_.

 

Shouyou nods and sits up. Tobio has to climb out of bed first because he’s on the outside, and he offers a hand to help Shouyou out of the nest. Shouyou takes the hand, but when he’s on his feet it doesn’t matter—he collapses as soon as he’s upright, and Tobio barely manages to catch him before his knees hit the hardwood floor.

 

“Shit, are you okay?”

 

Shouyou clings to Tobio’s neck and tucks his head against Tobio’s shoulder, laughing a little in self-deprecation. “I’m fine,” he says. “Just weaker than I thought, oops.” Shouyou tries to get his feet under him and manages it after some careful balancing, but Tobio can tell he’s not going to make it far if he tries to take a step.

 

“Here, get on my back. I’ll give you a piggyback,” Tobio offers, blushing a little. It feels like his skin should just be stained permanently pink with how much he’s been doing that.

 

Shouyou presses a kiss to Tobio’s neck and Tobio’s cheeks flush hotter. “Thanks, Tobio.”

 

Tobio just nods and turns around so Shouyou can scramble onto his back. With help, obviously, because Tobio is way taller than Shouyou and Shouyou can’t quite manage to jump up.

 

They make it to the kitchen with Shouyou’s chin hooked over Tobio’s shoulder, their bodies all pressed together in a way that’s making Tobio want to, like, _dance_ , or something equally ridiculous. He catches a quick glimpse of them in the reflection of the kitchen window and nearly stumbles with how cute they look. Fuck. Calm down.

 

In the kitchen, Tobio sets Shouyou on the counter and then opens the fridge, hoping for some eggs or something else to give Shouyou some protein. Shouyou sits on the counter and watches, grinning the whole time.

 

“Sorry,” he says, “I normally get some muscle cramps and, like, just achy joints and stuff, so when I didn’t feel any of that, I just figured I was okay to stand. But apparently I was wrong.”

 

Tobio finds some vegetables and eggs, and he pulls them out to start making omelets. There’s cheese too, and some bacon, and Tobio pulls those out as well. “It’s okay,” he says. “Are you cool with omelets?”

 

“Yes! I love omelets!” Shouyou beams and swings his legs a little, his tail swishing around behind him and his ears perked up. He looks happy, and Tobio gest this little swell of victory in his chest at knowing he can read Shouyou’s body language so well even after only a couple of dates.

 

They eat breakfast in the kitchen, Shouyou still sitting on the counter and Tobio leaning next to him, exchanging little jokes and snippets of conversation that aren’t particularly meaningful but do result in a lot of giggles and ear flicking on Shouyou’s part. At one point, Shouyou leans over and kisses Tobio on the cheek, and Tobio chokes a little on his omelet and has to swallow some coffee to stop the coughing. Shouyou laughs the whole time, and when Tobio finally gets himself under control enough to glare, Shouyou just leans forward and kisses him on the mouth.

 

It’s just a peck, but it has Tobio’s heart racing, his breath coming fast as Shouyou goes back to eating like nothing has happened, still telling some story about how his little sister had beat him at Mario Kart and it obviously wasn’t fair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They’re lying on the couch later when Shouyou looks over with a wicked grin, his tail flicking out to jab at the remote so the movie they’re watching pauses.

 

“You wanna play Mario Kart?”

 

“Are you going to say it’s not fair when I beat you?”

 

“You’re not 12! Natsu is _12._ And you’re going to lose, anyways. So it will be perfectly fair.”

 

“Okay,” Tobio says. “Whatever you say.”

 

Tobio loses the first race.

 

“It was on purpose,” he gripes, shoving at Shouyou’s shoulder. They’re sitting on the floor with their backs pressed against the couch, the controllers on the low table in front of them. There’s a blanket stretched across their laps, and Shouyou’s tail is draped lazily across Tobio’s thighs. Tobio kind of wants to touch it, but he remembers Shouyou saying he should avoid it, so he makes a point to just ignore the orange fur even if it’s a little distracting.

 

“Whatever! You just suck at Mushroom Gorge, dude!”

 

“Try me on Rainbow Road and we’ll see who’s better.”

 

“No-o-o,” Shouyou says. “I _hate_ that one. It’s not even fun. It’s just, like, _vroom-vroom-bwwap_ YOU FELL OFF THE MAP. _Vroom-vroom-bwwap_ YOU FELL OFF AGAIN. And then just that, _over and over and over._ ”

 

“You’re obviously just bad at it.”

 

“I’m going to start crying again _on purpose_ to make you feel bad—”

 

“ _Now_ who’s being unfair—”

 

“So you _do_ feel bad for me when I cry—”

 

“You look so fucking _distressed_ , god, it’s like an abandoned kitten in a box on the road in the _rain—_ ”

 

“Yeah, you’re making me _feel_ like a kitten in a box on the road in the rain, you—”

 

“You fucking adorable, annoying little—”

 

“Fucking _fuck_ , Tobio, are you going to kiss me or—”

 

But Tobio doesn’t get a chance, because Shouyou is already surging forward with the little strength he has, his lips landing hard against Tobio’s in this clumsy press that has Tobio’s heart racing, and after a second they get it together and Tobio slants his head just right, and suddenly Shouyou is climbing into his lap and licking his way into Tobio’s mouth, their lips meeting and parting and meeting again. It’s heady and overwhelming, and Tobio’s hand grasp for purchase against Shouyou’s hips, the tiny pooch of his stomach soft beneath Tobio’s fingers. It feels like everything Tobio has ever wanted.

 

“Tobio,” Shouyou says, sounding dazed as he pulls away a little. They stare at each other for a second, and Shouyou grins. “I’m totally going to beat you at Delfino Square.”

 

Tobio stares for a second, and then he picks up a pillow from behind his head and smacks Shouyou in the face. Shouyou looks stunned, and then he grins, and kisses Tobio again.

 

They stay that way for a long time, making out lazily against the couch, and eventually Tobio ends up lying on the floor with Shouyou lounging on top of him, ears flicking against the skin of Tobio’s neck as Shouyou buries his nose into Tobio’s collarbone and croons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tobio wakes up with a crick in his neck, Shouyou nowhere to be found. “Shouyou?” Tobio calls, pushing himself up off the floor and looking around. The apartment has gone dim in the hours they’ve been asleep. Tobio wonders why all of the lights are still off as he stands up and stretches.

 

Then he hears the crying.

 

“Shouyou?” Tobio wanders from the living room into the kitchen and presses his ear against the sliding door into the bedroom, and sure enough, he can hear quiet sniffles through the thin panel. “Shouyou, can I come in?”

 

“Tobio, I—sorry, I just—I was—fuck,” Shouyou says, sounding like he’s laughing at himself through the tears.

 

“Can I come in?” Tobio repeats, voice soft.

 

“Okay,” Shouyou says, and Tobio slides open the door and steps inside. The bedroom is just as dark as the rest of the house, and Shouyou’s nest looks kind of different from how it had looked earlier, one of the sides collapsed a little. Shouyou is sitting on the floor in a pile of shirts and a couple of stray blankets, his shoulder slumped in utter defeat.

 

“What’s wrong,” Tobio asks, crouching down to run gentle fingers up and down Shouyou’s back.

 

Shouyou sniffs. “I wanted to make the nest better. But it just got worse, and now it’s all wrong, and I can’t fix it.”

 

“Do you feel okay?”

 

Shouyou bites his lip and nods. “I’m fine.”

 

Tobio presses a hand to Shouyou’s forehead, and sure enough, he’s a lot warmer than he should be. “You’re running a fever.”

 

Shouyou nods, and looks at Tobio with this kind of scared expression, and then he bites his lip and swallows. “I have a headache. And I’m all dizzy.”

 

“Is this supposed to happen? Like, with your suppressants?”

 

Shouyou nods. “Yeah, it’s really just now hitting me, like, the actual heat. That’s probably why I woke up earlier and felt like I had to come fix my nest.”

 

Tobio frowns. “Dumbass, you could’ve woken me up. I would’ve helped.”

 

Shouyou shakes his head a little and then pales. “Shit, I guess I do feel kind of sick. Like, nauseated.”

 

Tobio strokes a hand down Shouyou’s cheek. “I’ll go get a trash can. And some water, and I know there’s rice in your fridge because I checked earlier. So I’ll heat that up for you. And then I’ll come back.”

 

“I probably won’t throw up,” Shouyou says. “But um, maybe. The trash can would be good,” he admits, his disorientation a little more obvious all of a sudden as he lists to the side.

 

“Can I put you back in your nest?” Tobio asks, but Shouyou shakes his head.

 

“No, no, not yet. It’s wrong. It’s all wrong. Just—let me lie here and calm down a little, and then I’ll fix it, and I’ll probably be fine. Honestly, it’s probably all just anxiety.”

 

Tobio nods. “Okay, just give me a minute.”

 

Shouyou nods, and Tobio tugs him forward so he can slump down onto the shirts and blankets around him, and then Tobio strokes a final hand through Shouyou’s hair and heads to the kitchen to get the supplies he wants. When he returns, Shouyou has stopped crying entirely, but his breathing is still measure like he’s trying really hard to keep calm. His eyes are closed, lips parted around his breaths.

 

“Shouyou? Can you sit up?”

 

Shouyou hums and then opens his eyes, and Tobio scoops him up so Shouyou can rest mostly against Tobio’s side. Tobio offers water and ensures that Shouyou only sip at it so as not to make himself feel sicker, and Shouyou nibbles on the rice without protest, the color slowly returning to his cheeks.

 

“Okay. I feel better. Or, like, better enough to fix the nest,” Shouyou says after a while. “Do you want to help?”

 

“Can I?”

 

Shouyou nods. “If you just, like, follow my instructions, I guess.” He looks shy, and Tobio really wants to kiss him.

 

He nods instead.

 

“Okay, let’s put this one here, I guess? And this here,” Shouyou instructs as they recraft the fallen side of the nest. It takes about ten minutes, but finally Shouyou sighs with this rush that makes it look like all the tension is leaving him, and then he looks over at Tobio.

 

“Hey, um, I kind of want to take a shower before I get back in the nest? And then maybe we can watch a movie?”

 

Tobio nods and reaches out to check Shouyou’s temperature again. He’s still a little hot, but he seems a lot better, and Tobio ruffles his hand back through Shouyou’s hair. “Can I take a shower after you? Would you mind?”

 

Shouyou shakes his head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll be quick.”

 

“Take your time,” Tobio says. “I don’t mind.”

 

Shouyou’s lips quirk into a shaky smile, and then he disappears into the bathroom. Tobio cleans up everything in the kitchen, and then he takes a shower, and then he spends the night wrapped up in the boy he’s kind of maybe super in love with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early on Sunday morning, Tobio wakes up in Shouyou’s nest without Shouyou.

 

He’s worried that there’s more crying going on, but when he climbs out of bed he hears the shower running, no sounds of sobbing from the bathroom, and he decides to make some coffee. It’s barely past 4:00 a.m., but if Shouyou is awake, then maybe he’s having trouble sleeping and could use some company.

 

Sure enough, Shouyou stumbles out of the bedroom a few minutes later, hair and ears still damp from the shower, and collapses into a chair at the table. Tobio looks him over; Shouyou is obviously kind of jittery and unrestful, fidgeting a little as he regards Tobio with exhausted eyes.

 

“Hey,” Tobio offers, and Shouyou slumps down to rest his chin on his crossed arms, half his body held up by the table.

 

“Hey,” Shouyou says, eyes flicking open and then closed as his ears twitch.

 

“You okay?”

 

Shouyou nods. “Yeah. Just really achy. Sorry if I woke you. I couldn’t sleep.”

 

Tobio shakes his head. “I think I just woke up because you weren’t in bed with me,” he admits, and then blushes.

 

Shouyou smiles faintly and then winces. “Sorry. I’m just going to be uncomfortable no matter where I am. The shower was nice, but I can’t stay in there forever.”

 

Tobio purses his lips. “Would it help if I gave you a massage or something? It’s okay if that’s too much right now.”

 

Shouyou nods. “Maybe a little too much. But if you don’t mind me twitching around a lot, we could sit on the couch. You could try to sleep more.”

 

Tobio shrugs. “I made coffee for us. So I’ll be able to stay awake with you. If that’s okay.”

 

Shouyou nods, smiling faintly. It’s hollow even though Tobio is pretty sure the sentiment is real. “Okay. Sorry. I just hurt all over. Not a lot, but…it’s just annoying. Kind of like this itch under my skin, but also dull pain. Ugh.” Shouyou buries his head into his arms, and Tobio bites his lip to keep himself from going over there to press relief into Shouyou’s back with his fingers, his palms. It’s too soon, Tobio knows, but maybe next time.

 

Next time. Hmm.

 

They end up on the couch, sipping coffee while Shouyou squirms around. It’s obvious he’s trying really hard not to, but he fails badly enough that Tobio finally just says, “It’s fine, Shouyou; you can fidget around if you need to.”

 

“I don’t think it’ll actually even help that much. This part is just not comfortable,” he moans, setting his coffee down to kind of flop across Tobio’s lap. Tobio twists himself into the arm of the couch so Shouyou can rest partly on his chest, and Shouyou snuggles his way in between Tobio’s body and the back of the couch.

 

“You can touch me if you want,” Shouyou says. “Like, my back and head and stuff. It was just the massage that sounded like too much.”

 

“No tail or ears still, right?”

 

Shouyou kind of bites his lip. “Ears might be okay. But, like. Okay, I guess I should just tell you why that’s a thing…”

 

He seems hesitant. Tobio frowns. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

 

Shouyou shakes his head, ears flicking backwards a little. He’s still kind of squirming, tensing his thighs and then relaxing them, a little shudder running down his spine. “No, it’s okay. It’s just. In high school, I was the only fox hybrid at my school. Practically the only hybrid of any type. And people really liked messing with my ears, and my tail. Like, just for fun. The girls weren’t usually mean about it—they just thought I was really cute. But the boys would make fun of me, and do it to be mean.

 

“But then a couple of the boys realized that my ears and tail are, like…really sensitive. To touch. So, like, they got all weird about it. Even though they were the ones trying to fuck with me. And, like, I didn’t want to…I guess it would be like if someone came up and groped you. It was really uncomfortable.”

 

Tobio sucks in a breath. “Fuck. That’s…they’re really fucked up for doing that.”

 

Shouyou laughs kind of roughly and trembles. “Yeah. It wasn’t a great time. It stopped eventually, like third year I guess, just because we were older and people stopped being so shitty. But. Yeah. The teachers never really did anything, and I couldn’t really go to anyone for help…I don’t know. It sucked. And it didn’t help that I was…kind of different in high school.”

 

“Different how?”

 

Shouyou blushes. “You remember the joke I made last time?”

 

Tobio thinks back, frowning, and then it dawns on him and he can’t help but snort. “You actually were totally emo, weren’t you?”

 

Shouyou snickers a little at Tobio’s obvious amusement and nods. “Yes, I really, really was. I mean, at school I obviously had to be in uniform, but I pushed the boundaries with my hair even then, and after school I would always put on skinny jeans and way too much eyeliner.”

 

“Dumbass, you better show me pictures.”

 

“You’ll laugh at me!”

 

“I absolutely will laugh at you. And then I’ll probably want to make out with you a bunch.”

 

Shouyou laughs. “Seriously?”

 

Tobio nods. “Sure. You seem like you’d look good as a visual kei kid.”

 

Shouyou shakes his head. “The kids at school didn’t think so.”

 

“Kids are terrible about everything that’s not exactly how they think it should be. I see it with the kids I coach all the time.”

 

Shouyou bites his lip. “That sounds really interesting to witness.”

 

“It is. But they can also be incredibly mean about it, which is why I won’t touch your ears if you don’t want me to.”

 

“No, like, the fact that you actually asked is great. Seriously,” Shouyou says.

 

Tobio runs a gentle hand through Shouyou’s hair and hesitates when his wrist brushes just slightly past an orange ear. “You’re sure?”

 

Shouyou nods. “You can touch them.” He gives another little shudder, tensing and rolling his shoulders a little, obviously still achy, and Tobio takes a deep breath and tries to relax.

 

Tobio’s fingers twitch a little as he brings his hand up above Shouyou’s head. He takes a breath, and Shouyou blinks wide brown eyes at him, and then Tobio’s fingers are ghosting across the very tip of a big, triangular ear, all soft and velvety and warm. Shouyou sucks in a little breath and blinks a couple of times, and Tobio brings up his other hand to feel both ears at once. He runs his fingers up from the base of each ear to the tip, rubbing the smooth, furry skin between his fingers, and Shouyou’s eyes finally flutter shut, his head tipping forward as he lets out a croon, except it sounds a little bit more like a moan.

 

“Shouyou?” Tobio asks, because he feels like he should check in. “Is this okay?”

 

Shouyou moans again, sounding sort of _really fucking out of it_ , and he nods and nuzzles himself in closer to Tobio, his tail moving back and forth as he falls utterly limp against Tobio’s chest. “Fuck,” Shouyou says, “Please don’t stop. Shit, that’s…like, wow, that’s…fuck.” He mutters a few more incoherent sentiments into Tobio’s throat, and then the words are taken over by his soft crooning, the sound low in his throat and obviously not actually a purr now that Tobio is listening for it.

 

They stay like that for a long time, Tobio rubbing gently at Shouyou’s ears and his hair and every once in a while his neck, trailing hands across pale skin with a reverence Tobio usually saves for volleyballs. It’s quiet in the early morning light, still not even 4:30, but even if it’s way too early to be alive, Tobio knows he wouldn’t trade the time for anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the end of the day on Sunday, Shouyou’s heat is basically over. He’s not crying, and his fever is gone, and the clarity has returned to his eyes. He’s eating curry and rice on the couch with Tobio, and they’ve somehow made it three days without killing each other, even though this is technically only their third date.

 

“You wanna hang out again next weekend?” Shouyou asks as Tobio gets his stuff together so he can head out. “No worries if you don’t,” Shouyou goes on. “I know this was, like, a lot to spring on you, so if you’re, like, having second thoughts or whatever…”

 

Tobio shakes his head. Shouyou looks so sad, so nervous all of a sudden, that Tobio kind wants to admit that he honestly doesn’t want to leave at all. “I want to hang out. But how about tomorrow?”

 

Shouyou grins, but it’s rueful. “I have a closing shift tomorrow night. And then I work during the day on Tuesday, so I’ll be up early even if I’m not opening. But how about Tuesday night?”

 

Tobio nods. “Yeah. Tuesday. Um, what do you want to do?”

 

Shouyou tilts his head to the side and quirks an eyebrow. “You?”

 

Tobio huffs a little and flounders, his mouth coming open in shock and awe. “Wha—are you trying to _schedule_ us having sex here or something?”

 

Shouyou shrugs. “Doesn’t have to be here,” he teases, sticking out his tongue and grinning all wicked and seductive and—fuck, there’s absolutely no way Tobio can resist.

 

“I mean…okay,” Tobio says, because, like. It’s not like he doesn’t _want_ to or something.

 

Shouyou shakes his head and laughs. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Relax.”

 

Tobio frowns. “I’m not saying…”

 

Shouyou shakes his head. “Calm down, Tobio. We’ll hang out on Tuesday, and we’ll see where the night takes us.”

 

Tobio nods. “Yeah, okay.” And then: “I’ll miss you tomorrow. I’ll miss you _tonight._ ”

 

Shouyou grins, triumphant. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t worry. I’ll send you a cute selfie. Might even include one of the ones I took as emo high school me.”

 

Tobio huffs. “I still can’t believe you were into visual kei.”

 

Shouyou smiles. “Believe it. And have fun missing me tomorrow.” He pauses and looks down. “I’ll miss you, too.”

 

Tobio steps forward and kisses him one last time, and then he heads down to his car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day, Tobio sends a good morning text when he gets to work just to check in. Shouyou has been through a lot in the past couple of days.

 

He is rewarded with a selfie of a six-years-younger Shouyou wearing all black, wrists covered in bracelets, hair long and kind of spiky, eyes rimmed with way too much eyeliner.

 

Yamaguchi looks over his shoulder and sees the picture, and laughs, and then he heads for the door. “I’m going to Starbucks,” he says, his smirk absolutely feral. “You want anything? I mean, besides the ex-emo fox-boy you’re head over heels for?”

 

Tobio throws his phone at Yamaguchi, but Yamaguchi just laughs, throws it back, and heads out the door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ you look cute like that.

 

_HinaShou:_ you just like the eyeliner :P

_HinaShou:_ oh, and why exactly did Tadashi come in laughing about how silly you are?

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ you know him well enough to call him Tadashi?

 

_HinaShou:_ oops

_HinaShou:_ guess the secret’s out

_HinaShou:_ I’ve known Tadashi since college

_HinaShou:_ he’s been trying to set me up with someone for a while.

_HinaShou:_ I’m just now figuring out that it was you.

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ fuck

 

_HinaShou:_ see you tomorrow?

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ fuck

 

_HinaShou:_ see you tomorrow, dork.

_HInaShou:_ <3

 

_Kageyama Tobio:_ fuck

_Kageyama Tobio:_ <3


End file.
